In the run-up to GoaFest 2009, the Festival executive body – Colvyn Harris, Shashi Sinha, and Suman Srivastava – shares with exchange4media what to expect this year and whether GoaFest is on the right track to become Asia’s most coveted advertising festival.
Starcom MediaVest Group has elevated Sandeep Lakhina to head its media asset Starcom Worldwide as its Chief Operating Officer for South Asia. With this, all Starcom Worldwide offices in markets such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would come under Lakhina’s charge.
Sahara India Television Network, the news channel business of Sahara India, has appointed MediaSys Solutions as its exclusive advertising sales partner in India. As part of the agreement, MediaSys Solutions will be responsible for selling airtime for the bouquet of six Sahara Samay News Channels’ Network bouquet.
Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation, will be honoured with the Media Person of the Year Award at the 56th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The Media Person the Year Award pays tribute to a prominent personality who is an influential figure in the development of today’s media landscape.
Public relations may be more important than advertising to brand value, especially for companies that sell feature-rich or complicated products such as consumer electronics, financial services and automobiles. This was announced by Text100 Global Public Relations recently as part of their Media Prominence Study.
Noshe Oceanic has been assigned the creative and media duties for new entrant, hi-end designer tile brand Schablona from Somany Tiles. Noshe Oceanic will be handling its launch and complete communications task across the nation.
Jayyant Bhokare, Chief Operating Officer, Radio Indigo 91.9 FM, has quit after a 10-month stint with the company. Confirming his movement, Bhokare said, “Yes, I have decided to move out of Radio Indigo, but am undecided on my next destination. There are various options and I will finally decide in a while on my next role.”
Without trying to sound too pessimistic, it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the Indian media industry is reeling under the current economic slowdown. Nearly all media houses, big or small, have had to resort to various measures to cut costs. Yet another group tightening its belt is the Outlook Group. Living Media India, too, is taking measures to overcome the slowdown, but have not yet resorted to any pay cuts.
On seeing US President Barack Obama go on air on Jay Leno’s ‘The Tonight Show’ about 10 days ago, BV Rao wonders when one can see such a development in India. According to him, no Indian channel is even thinking of it, perhaps because they can’t see beyond their larger-than-life editors; and no Indian head of state has bothered to face the public directly after being elected to the high post.
The Indian mobile gaming industry, worth over Rs 100 crore, is awaiting the rollout of 3G services in the country, which will take the mobile industry to the next level with heavier games, good quality and faster downloads. exchange4media speaks to some industry players on the way ahead for mobile gaming and the trends to look out for.